“Make that two.” Sloan nodded in
agreement.
Erica continued to gaze at the words before her, yet
the entrees seemed to blur together. “Okay then, make it
three.”
“Very good choice,” the young man agreed and
retrieved their menus.
When Erica went for her tea, she tried to
refocus her thoughts.
Damn it! Get it together, girl!
Handsome men had never thrown her off kilter before, so why now?
“Okay, so now you know about the Rael sisters, Gianni. Tell us
something about yourself. For instance, your name. Gianni is not a
familiar Latino name.”
He sat back with his legs crossed beneath the
table. “My full nom de amour is Giancarlo, and it’s a family name.
My job isn’t all that colorful or terribly exciting. I’m an
investment broker by day, and a man of exquisite tastes by
night.”
Yeah, I bet you are, tastes that run to the female
variety, and a lot of variety at that!
Nom de
amour
, what an affectation!
“I’m sure you must have your share of wealthy
clients.”
“Lots of retirees with money to invest. Well,
not a whole lot. Some people just have small nest eggs, but I
manage to invest the money wisely while trying to bring them the
best return on the dollar. My parents, for instance. When my dad,
Bradford, retired from the university, I helped him set up some
accounts and make some investments, and now he and my mother live
comfortably in Coral Gables.”
Suddenly, Erica felt something stroke her
ankle; and if she cared to guess, it came from someone’s toe
encased in a sock. She jumped back in her chair and managed to
spill some of the tea in her lap. What the hell!
“Are you all right,
Eriqueta?
” Maritza
gazed at her sister with concern.
“Yes, yes, fine.” Erica immediately tried to dab at
the mess with her napkin.
“Would you like to go to the ladies room with
me?”
“Um, no thanks. Not right now.”
“Okay then.” As Mari rose, she slipped her
hand from Gianni’s, and then hoisted her purse over a bare
shoulder. “I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t be too long,
guapa
,” Gianni
cooed in his suave tenor voice.
“I’ll try not to!” Mari trilled and
retreated.
The moment Erica knew Maritza was out of
range, she glared at the man who had taken her sister to bed in
just one night. “Look, Mr. Sloan, you might be able to pull that
smooth-talking crap with Mari. Far be it from me to tell my sister
how to live her life, but it won’t work on me! It didn’t Friday
night, and it won’t now!”
“Whoa! Now wait a minute!” As he
straightened, Sloan held up a conciliatory hand. “I didn’t mean any
offense! I think we’re getting off on the wrong foot here.”
You better believe it, buddy, and keep your
feet to yourself!
“I just happen to know,” Erica continued,
“that you’re the tenant who lives above me. Now what you and your
dates do is none of my concern, but sometimes I can hear all
through the vents.”
“Oh, wow. Look, I’m sorry. I mean, I know you
live in the same building. Mari told me that, but I didn’t realize
you live directly downstairs.” Gianni Sloan’s face colored slightly
with the realization his bedroom antics had not gone unnoticed.
“But I hadn’t realized... Well, about Friday night... I had no idea
that you and Mari were related until she told me. As far as our
proximity, well, that’s just an interesting coincidence.”
Sighing, Erica sat back, barely mollified.
“Yes, I suppose it is.”
“Can we start over again?” Gianni held out
his hand. “I’d like us to be friends, not just for Mari’s sake, but
because we do share a space together.”
Conceding temporarily, she reached over and
took his offering. Again, the feel of his skin sent a shiver—if not
a warning signal—down her spine.
“In fact,” he continued, “I’ve been thinking
about decorating my place. I haven’t done a thing since I moved in.
For one, I haven’t hung any pictures on the walls, and two, half my
stuff is still in boxes. I just don’t seem to find the time.”
What a loaded statement! Erica bit her lip to
keep from bursting out with her succinct observations. Of course
you don’t have time, buddy boy! You’re always too busy screwing
your brains out!
“Do you want me to look at your apartment and
then let you know what I’m willing and able to do?”
“Yes. I know you’re very capable, and if you
give me a quote for your services we could start right away.” He
held up a hand again. “Of course, I’m not asking for a special
price because I know Mari.”
“Oh, believe me, I hadn’t planned to give you
one.”
“So, will you consider it?”
“I think I’d rather refer you to my
associate, Sacha Kahlo. He’s a marvelous designer and will help you
every step of the way.”
Gianni Sloan allowed a small moue of
disappointment to purse his full lips. “I was hoping you’d be
willing to do it.”
Do what and where? In your bedroom so I can become
another notch on your headboard?
Thankfully, Erica’s sister returned, thus
sparing her from further comment. The food arrived as well; but
before the waiter departed, Gianni requested a bottle of
Chablis.
“I think we should all toast to our good
fortune,” he suggested when the waiter left. His hooded gaze
flicked from one sister to the other. “To our futures, in career
and in love.”
Maritza glowed with her newfound happiness.
“Sounds wonderful! What do you say,
querida?
”
Erica forced a smile, if only for her
sister’s sake. “Sounds good to me, too.”
After the wine arrived and they made their
toast, Erica concentrated on eating her food, though she had little
appetite. Her drink remained untouched. The conversation drifted to
a convivial pace, little tidbits and snatches of information. Erica
learned Giancarlo Sloan hailed from Connecticut and had learned a
little Spanish from his mother who was of Mexican descent. His
father, an economics and business professor, had taught at
Quinnipiac University in Hamden before his retirement and
subsequent move to Miami. Gianni followed his parents and quickly
realized that the baby-boomer retirement crowd would make ideal
clients for his investment services. After saving some money, he’d
recently purchased the condo, glad to move from his former
apartment building.
Maritza took up the Rael family history, with
her older sister contributing a few pertinent facts. Finally,
thankfully, they finished their lunch, thus giving Erica the
impetus to leave gracefully.
“You sure you don’t want to join us at the
beach?” Mari asked with bright eyes. “It’s a perfect day for a swim
and then to do some sunbathing. If nothing else, you can ogle the
oiled body builders in their Speedos. The beach certainly offers
enough of them.”
Erica politely declined, citing a previous
engagement with a client. Not even the enticement of buff, bronzed,
semi-nude male bodies could persuade her to join the duo.
And as
they always said, three’s a crowd.
“Do you have an appointment with some famous
celebrity?” Gianni quipped with a sly laugh. “Aha, that’s why
you’re holding out on us!”
“I’m afraid it’s nothing that exciting.”
Erica reached for the bill to pay her share, but Maritza lightly
slapped her hand away.
“Oh no!” she argued. “Gianni is going to pay for
lunch, and he won’t take no for an answer,
Eriqueta
.”
“It’s my pleasure,” the man agreed, “and I
will gladly pay the price to bask in the company of two of the most
charming ladies I know...and beautiful sisters to boot!”
Oh, brother!
Erica felt her lunch try to work
itself back up as Maritza giggled in appreciation of her new
lover’s captivating wit. As soon as possible, she made her quick
exit, though instead of going directly home, Erica decided to take
in a matinée, a movie she wanted to see. It would not only pass the
time but certainly deflect her thoughts from the truly disgusting
to the truly romantically funny. At the very least she hoped the
movie would keep her mind off of Gianni Sloan.
Chapter Four
Monday morning could not come soon enough. Erica felt
much better back behind her drafting board. In fact, she felt so
grateful to be back at work, she bought everyone cappuccinos.
“Still high from Friday night?” Sacha’s
comment came with a wily smirk. “Me? I had a wonderful weekend with
the most fantastic man of my dreams!”
“So, what’s the scoop with your kid sis?” Tai
asked after she brought back the coffees on the designer’s
dime.
“What do you mean?” Erica asked with a slight
frown.
“I mean, what’s her story? She certainly
seemed on the prowl after being caged up for a while, willingly or
not.”
Erica laughed. “You saw all that?”
“I know the look.” Tai winked. “A gal out of
circulation for some time wants to spread her wings and get a taste
of the available man meat out there. To me, she definitely hungered
for a chunk of the hunks.”
Erica gave her a brief history, though kept
Gianni Sloan out of the picture. Tai didn’t need to know her own
former one-night stand had taken up with a member of Erica’s
family. “Maritza married an extremely handsome and wealthy
real-estate developer. Unfortunately he turned out to be abusive,
not physically, but emotionally and mentally. Ricardo wanted to
control everything she did. Finally Mari felt strong enough to say
she’d had enough, and then filed for divorce.”
After taking a quick sip of her coffee, Erica
continued. “That was almost two years ago. It’s taken all this time
to straighten out who got what. Luckily, Mari has a good lawyer,
and she receives a decent enough alimony check every month. Oh, and
she told Ricky to keep their multi-million dollar house and all the
furnishings for posterity. He just might find another unlucky woman
who wants him for his bucks and not his tight-ass personality.”
Erica was spared providing further
elucidation by the return of Sacha from the outer offices, a bit
flushed and excited as he hurried to make his announcement.
“There’s a man here to see you, Rica! He says he knows he doesn’t
have an appointment, but he hopes you’ll see him.” Lowering his
voice, the wiry designer leaned over his work table. “You gotta go
for it, girlfriend, ‘cause this guy is a primo hunk! Maybe he’s
your knight in shining armor at last!”
“Oh, this I gotta see!” Tai chimed in, and
soon followed her colleague. With a determined gait, Erica headed
for the front where the office assistant kept her desk. The area
also featured a comfortable seating arrangement and provided sample
books with eight-by-ten photos of Prestige by Design’s best
work.
When they spied their visitor, both women did
an abrupt halt in the doorway. Gianni Sloan stood before them, idly
looking about the office. Erica gave him a firm perusal, and he
seemed different today. The man had slicked his hair back, and now
it fell along his collar it sleek jet waves. He also wore a pair of
wire-rimmed glasses, as well as a crisp linen suit in a wheat hue.
The polo shirt beneath gave a hint of plum color, and his tasseled
loafers appeared to be of the expensive Italian variety in nice,
polished leather.
As soon as he spied the women, he stepped
forward and extended his hand. “Hello, there. I’m Adriano Sloan,
but I prefer to go by Nico. I’m also Giancarlo Sloan’s twin
brother. I believe you know him.”
Erica’s jaw drop. A quick glance at Tai
confirmed the office assistant did the same, her mouth stretched in
an oval of surprise. She quickly recovered and shook the man’s
hand. It, too, felt cool and smooth.
“How very nice to meet you, Mr. Sloan. Gianni
didn’t mention you, although, I haven’t spoken to your brother at
length.”
Nico Sloan offered a pleasant, well-meaning smile.
“Just as well. Gianni and I don’t get along very well. I’m in town
visiting our parents, and I was wondering, Ms. Rael, if you had
some time to give me.”
“Please, call me Erica.” She felt her heart
rev up. A twin brother! For some odd reason, she hoped he was
nothing like his sibling.
“Would you like something to drink, Mr.
Sloan?” This came from Tai, who had moved behind her sleek,
glass-topped desk. “A bottle of water? Coffee?”
—
or Tai or me?
Despite herself, Erica
smirked when she spied the definite interest in the assistant’s
face.
“No, thank you. Please, you both must call me
Nico.” He bent closer to speak to Erica. “I was wondering if I
could take you to lunch.”
Glancing at the wall clock, she realized it
barely registered ten. “Well, it’s awfully early for lunch.”
“Coffee then. I promise not to take up too
much of your valuable time.”
How could she refuse? Excusing herself for a
moment, Erica ran to the back room for her purse, and then did a
quick touch-up with her lipstick.
“Oh, oh, someone is out on the prowl,” Sacha
observed with a little purr. “What’s he like, this mystery
man?”
With a sweet smile, Erica started back to her
guest. “Darling, I’ll tell you all about it later.”
They ended up at the bookstore and coffee bar
around the corner.
“If we’re here on business,” Erica offered,
“then allow me to pick up the tab.”
Nico gave her a serious look. “Actually it
is. I’d like to discuss a possible design job.”
“Well, have a seat and I’ll get back to
you.”
After Erica requested and paid for his latte
and her Italian soda, she joined him at a table towards the back.
“Now then, what can I do for you?”
“I really don’t know where to start,” Nico
stated with a sheepish look. “I know Gianni is your upstairs
neighbor. He did tell me he’s seeing your sister, and that you and
he seemed to have gotten off to a rocky start, a misunderstanding
of sorts.”